Pel's fishing owl is a large species of owl in the family Strigidae, found in Africa. It lives near rivers and lakes, and feeds nocturnally on fish and frogs snatched from the surface of lakes and rivers. The species prefers slow-moving rivers with large, overhanging trees to roost in and forage from. It nests in hollows and the forks of large trees. Even though two eggs are laid, often only one chick is raised.
Region
West and Central Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily along forested rivers, large streams, backwaters, and lake edges from Senegal and Guinea east through Ghana and Nigeria to Cameroon, Gabon, and the Congo Basin, reaching western Uganda and northwestern Angola. It strongly favors slow-moving, relatively clear waters with abundant fish and quiet margins. Overhanging gallery forests and large emergent trees are essential for roosting, hunting, and nesting. It avoids fast torrents and heavily disturbed, treeless banks.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Pel's fishing owl is a large, fish-specialist owl that hunts almost entirely over water, snatching prey from the surface with powerful, bare feet. It favors quiet, tree-lined rivers and oxbow lakes where overhanging branches provide concealed perches. Pairs often duet with deep, resonant hoots that carry long distances at night. Despite laying two eggs, siblicide or resource limitation usually means only one chick fledges.
Pel's fishing owl in Malawi
A young bird near fledging age in Botswana
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
silent flier with strong, steady wingbeats and low glides over water
Social Behavior
Usually seen alone or in pairs holding linear territories along rivers. Nests in large tree cavities or forks near water; pairs may reuse favored sites for years. Clutch is typically two eggs, but competition often results in only one chick being fledged.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A deep, booming hoot delivered in measured phrases, often at dusk and during the night. Pairs perform duets with alternating notes that resonate across water and forested banks.
Plumage
Warm rufous-buff overall with fine dark barring on the underparts and more uniform upperparts; dense, soft plumage for silent flight.
Diet
Specializes in fish, taking small to medium-sized species near the surface. Also consumes frogs and occasionally crustaceans and aquatic invertebrates. Hunts by watching intently from a shaded perch and striking with swift, downward swoops. The feet and toes are adapted for gripping slippery prey.
Preferred Environment
Feeds along calm river stretches, backwaters, oxbow lakes, and quiet lake margins with overhanging vegetation. Typically hunts from low branches, fallen logs, or exposed roots above the water, sometimes shifting perches along a reach.
